Automatic time-call.



No. 866,327. PATBNTED SEPT. 17, 1907. J. E. BOONE.

AUTOMATIC TIME CALL.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 2. 1906. 1 2 a u 5 s 82 BHEETS--SHEET 1.

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JESSE E. BOONE, OF ALMEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC TIME-CALL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

Application filed July 2, 1906. Serial No. 324,398.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn E. BooNn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Almedia, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Time-(falls; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic time calls, and has for its object prinrarily to provide a device whereby an electric alarm, bell or signal will be sounded or actuated at a certain fixed and predetermined time.

My invention has for its object to provide a device whereby any number of bells, alarms or signals may be actuated at certain fixed and predetermined times.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device whereby any number of electric bells, alarms or signals may be actuated simultaneously without reference to any fixed or predetermined time.

My invention is therefore particularly adapted to be used in hotels or other buildings having a number of rooms or apartments, in order that an electric bell, alarm or signal may be sounded or actuated in any one or more of the rooms or apartments of the hotel or other building at a fixed and predetermined time, or the device may be set so that one or more of the bolls, alarms or signals may be sounded or actuated in the different rooms or apartments at different fixed and predetermined times.

My. invention is consequently adapted to be employed as call in the rooms of guests at hotels or apartments, in such manner that an electric bell, signal or alarm will be sounded in a room or number of rooms in a hotel or apartment at a fixed and perdetermined time or times.

By reason of the arrangement I employ, my invention is particularly adapted to be used as a fire alarm in hotels, apartments or other buildings, as will be hereinafter fully described.

My invention consists in the novel construction employed for closing the electric circuits in which are located an electric bell, signal or alarm.

My invention also consists in the novel construction for closing a number of circuits simultaneously without reference to any fixed or pred eterrnin ed time.

hfy invention further consists in the novel circuit closing contact as will be hereinafter fully described, and my invention further consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the time board, and also in certain other novel features and certain combinations of parts all of which will be first fully described and afterwards specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation showing the invention and illustrating the wiring of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the flexible cord board. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the lower portion of the time board, flexible cord board and circuit closing frame. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the circuit closing frame, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the contact cup which is arranged preferably on the face of the clock dial. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the clock-dial, electrical contacts thereon and illustrating the manner of closing the circuit.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures in which,

1 indicates the device which as shown in Fig. 1 cornprises a clock 2, time board 3, flexible cord board f and circuit closing frame 5.

Arranged on the time board 3 vertically is a series of horizontal and parallel rods 6, which, as shown in Fig. 2, are parallel with the time board 3 and are set out from the time board a short distance. Connected to each of said rods 6 in any suitable manner is an electric wire 8 which passes to a point or contact preferably located on the face or dial of the clock 2. However, as will presently appear the points or contacts 9 can be arranged under the dial or face of the clock in. any convenient position. The contacts 9 are so arranged in connection with the face or dial 10 of the clock as to be separated from one another at intervals which represent the interval of distance covered by the hour hand 11 of the clock in fifteen minutes. Plainly printed, stamped or otherwise arranged on the time board 3 in connection with the rods 6 are numerals which represent the twenty-four hours of a day in intervals of fifteen minutes, and as shown in Fig. 1 the line of numerals start at twelve fifteen and end at twelve, there being a rod (3 for every fifteen minutes in the entire twelve hours, and it will be of course understood that the wire 8 connecting the bottom or lowest rod 6 on the time board 3, which rod is designated by 12, is connected to the contact 9 on the dial or face of the clock, which contact 9 is at the point 12 on the face or dial 10 of the clock 2. It will of course be understood that each. and every rod 6 on the time board 3 passes to a different contact 9 associated with the face or dial 10 of the clock 2.

12 indicates the seconds hand of the clock, practically the same arrangement or construction would be had if the usual escapement wheel of the clock were employed instead of the seconds hand 12 as shown. However, in either event a contact 13, which as shown in Fig. 5 is preferably a mercury contact which comprises a mercury cup 14 which is supported on a post 15, which post passes through a bracket 16 and is supported in said bracket by means of a wing nut 17, the post 15 being threaded so that by rotating the wing nut 17 the cup 14 may be raised or lowered as desired. As will also be seen from Fig. the bracket 16 is secured to the face or dial of the clock 2 by means of an insulated plate or disk 18 so that said cup 14 and bracket 16 are insulated from the face or dial of the clock and from the clock works. Connected to the post of the cup 14, as shown in Fig. 1, is a wire 19 passing to the batteries 20 and connected to said batteries 20 is a wire 21, which as shown in Fig. 1, passes up and connects with each of the bells 22 illustrated above the time board 3. In this sense Fig. 1 is merely a diagrammatic view as the six bells shown are each arranged in different rooms of the hotel, building or apartment and they may be at vastly different points in the hotel, building or apartment. However, the wire 21 passes to each of said bells irrespective of the relative position or location thereof. The wire 21 is shown passing down on the left of time board 3 and is shown connected to the movable contact or switch 23 located under the flexible cord board 4 and circuit closing frame 5. A

' wire 24 is shown connected to a contact 25 arranged in proximity to the contact 23, said wire 24 passing to batteries 26, to which batteries 26 is also connected the wire 21.

Referring now to Fig. 2 in connection with Fig. 1 it will be seen that the flexible cord board 4 is provided with a series of openings 27 arranged in rows thereon; and referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that a series of binding posts 28 are arranged under the board 4 adjacent said openings 27 in said board; and it will also be seen from Fig. 1 that a flexible cord 29 is connected to each of said binding posts 28, the free end of said cord passing through the openings 27 in the board 4 and being provided each with a hook 30. As shown, each of said flexible cords 29 passes through a pulley 31 to which is secured a weight 32 in order to hold said cords in the position shown in Fig. 1, each of said cords 29 designating a room or apartment in the hotel or building, the number of the room or apartment being shown on the board 4 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4 and in this connection to Fig. 3 it will be' seen that. the circuit closing frame 5 is arranged under the flexible cord board 4, the bars 33 of the circuit closing frame 5 being arranged parallel with one another, each bar 33 being slightly in front of the binding posts 28 to which the flexible cords 29 are connected, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a plug 34 is arranged in the board 4, said plug being tapered as shown and engaging the forward bar 33 of the circuit closing frame 5 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The opening 35 in the board 4 is directly over the movable contact 23 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and 1 provide a series of guides 36 preferably arranged at the sides of the frame 5 in order to guide said frame and allow the same a free sliding motion. Secured behind the frame 5, as shown in Fig. 4, are two leaf springs 37 which normally hold the frame 5 in position, shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus fully described the several parts of my invention its operation is as follows: When utilizing the device as a' time call one or more of the flexible cords 29 are connected to the rods 6 on the time board by means of the hooks 30 on said flexible cords 29, as shown in Fig. 1,-taking for example, the cord 29, which as shown in Fig. 1, is connected to the rods 6,

which is designated by the numeral 8, this numeral 3, as of course is clearly understood having reference to the time, meaning the eighth hour. When,,therefore, one of the cords 29, representing one of the rooms in the hotel, building or apartment, is connected to the rod 6 designated by the numeral 8 it connects the bell 22 in the room or apartment which corresponds in number to the number of the flexible cord 29 which as shown in Fig. 1 is the bell designated by the numeral 6. Following this connection by means of the wire 38 it will be seen that the wire passes to the binding post 28 on the board 4 and is connected to the rod 6 designated by the numeral 8 by means of the flexible cord 29, the rod 6 designated by the numeral 8 is connected to the point 9 associated with the face or dial of the clock, which point 9 corresponds with the position on the face or dial of the clock of the eighth hour, which I have illustrated by the letter A. As the hour hand passes over the face or dial of the clock it comes incontact successively with every point 9 thereon, consequently as the hour hand 11 comes in contact with the point 9 corresponding with the eighth hour as designated by the letter A, the said hand forms a connection between the point 9 and the shaft carrying the hand 11. This, however, does not close the circuit nor is the circuit closed until the seconds hand 12 touches the contact 13 when said seconds hand 12 (or as before stated the escapement wheel) comes in contact with the mercuryv cup 14, the circuit is closed and the bell, signal or alarm 22 designated by the numeral 6 is sounded or actuated, this bell, signal or alarm being located in the room or apartment corresponding in number to the flexible cord 29. It is of course clearly understood that any number of the cords 29 may be connected to the bar 6 designated by the numeral 8, and as many bells, signals or alarms will be sounded or actuated as there are cords 29 connected to the bar 6 designated by the numeral 8. It is of course clearly evident that all or a part of the flexible cords 29 may be connected each to a different bar 6, which bar indicating a different hour or fraction of an hour as is shown by the numeral or numerals just above each of the bars 6; consequently it is seen that a bell, signal .or alarm in any room or apartment in a hotel or other building can be sounded or actuated at a predetermined. time by simply engaging the cord 29, which represents the room or apartment, with any one of the bars 6 on the time board 3, and as the hour hand 11 comes in contact with the point 9 associated with the face or dial of the clock, the bell, signal or alarm will be sounded or actuated as soon as the seconds hand 12 comes in contact with the mercury cup or contact 13. By means of this construction the device can be arranged in such manner that the bell, signal or alarm will be sounded or actuated for five seconds at intervals of a minute for two, three or four minutes; and the device can be arranged so that the bell, signal or alarm will be sounded or actuated for a period of one to three or ten seconds at the interval of a minute for one to three or four minutes. This adjustment which regulates the period of the sounding and actuating of the bell, signal or alarm is regulated as shown in Fig. 5 by raising or lowering the cup 14, but raising of the cup 14 will cause the seconds hand 12 to engage or pass through the same and remain in the. cup in contact with the mercury therein for a considerable portion of one revolution of the seconds hand 12; while by means of the wing nut 17 the cup 14 can be lowered so that the seconds hand 12 will merely touch the mercury as it passes, thereby closing the circuit for a brief period of time which sounds or actuates the bell, signal or alarm for a correspondingly brief period of time.

Referring again to Figs. 3 and 4 and also to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the circuit, in which is located the battery 26 and in which are located all of the bells, signals or alarms 22 is normally broken. When, however, it is desired to close said circuit in order to sound or actuate all of the bells, signals or alarms 22 simultaneonsly the tapered plug 34 is forced down manually, which action forces the contact 23 into engagement with the Contact 25, thereby closing the circuit, and by reason of the tapered form of the plug 34 the circuit closing frame 5 is simultaneously moved rearwardly until each of the bars 33 comes in contact with each and every binding post 28 on the board 4, thereby closing a circuit in which is located every bell, signal or alarm in the hotel, apartment or building so that each of the bells, signals or alarms are sounded or ac-- tuated simultaneously throughout the entire building. This operation is of course entirely independent of the clock 2 and is particularly useful in case of iire.

From Fig. 6 it will be seen that the hour hand 11 is in engagement with one of the contacts 9 while the seconds hand 12 is in engagement with its contact 13. The line passing from the post of the hour hand to the post of the seconds hand illustrates the direction of the circuit through the clock mechanism. As will appear from this figure the circuit is through the hour hand into the hour hand post, from the hour hand post to the post of the seconds hand as illustrated by the line connecting these parts and through the seconds hand into the contact 13.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'of the United States, is,-'-

1. An annunciator comprising a signal, a clock having the usual slow and fast running hands, a contact or series of contacts in the path of the slow running hand to make a long continuous contact, a contact in the path of the fast running hand to make short contacts the fast running hand running suiiiciently fast to make a plurality of contacts during one continuous contact of the slow running hand. a source of current and a circuit through the said contacts and both the slow and fast running hands.

2. An annunciator comprising a time board, a series of electrical contacts thereon, a clock having the usual slow and fast running hands, a contact or series of contacts in the path of the slow running hand to make a long continuous contact, a contact in the path of the fast running hand to make short contacts. the fast running hand running sulliciently fast to make a plurality of contacts during one continuous contact of the slow running hand, a source of current and a circuit through said contacts and both the slow and fast running hands, and means for electrically connecting cnch electrical contact on said time board with a dilierent electrical contact in the path of the slow running hand, substantially as described.

13. An annunciator comprising a time board, a signal, a clock having the usual slow and fast running hands, a contact or series of contacts in the path of the slow running hand to make a long continuous contact, a contact in the path of the fast running hand to make short contacts, the fast running hand running sufliciently fast to make a plurality of contacts during one continuous contact of the slow running hand, a source of current and a circuit through the said contacts and both the slow and fast running hands substantially as described.

-l. An annunciator comprising a signal, a time board. a clock having the usual slow and fast running hands, a contact or series of contacts in the path of the slow running hand to make a long continuous contact. a contact in the path of the fast running hand arranged to be intermittently engaged by said fast running hand during the period of engagement of the slow running hand with a contact; in its path, a source of current and a circuit through the said contacts and both the slow and fast running hands, substantially s described.

5. An annunciator comprising a time hoard provided with a series of electrical contacts, a clock, a series of clee tricnl contacts on said clock, means for electrically connccting each of said electrical contacts on said board with a dill'erent electrical contact on said clock, an electrical contact on said clock normally disconnected from said time board. means for connecting said normally disconnected contact with any of the electrical contacts on said time board, means on said clock for engaging said normally disconnected contact to close an electric circuit, a series of electric bells, signals or alarms located in said electric circuit, means for electrically connecting one or more of said electric bells, signals or alarms with said electrical contacts on said time board, and means for sounding or actuating all of said electric bells, signals or alarms simultaneously.

(1. An annunciator comprising a time board, a series of electrical contacts thereon, a clock, means for electrically connecting each of said contacts to a dill'erent point in said clock. means associated with said clock for clos ing an electric circuit, :1 series of electric bells, signals or alarms located in said electric circuit, a series of contacts associated with said time hoard, means for electrically connecting each of said electric hells, signals or alarms with said contacts as related with said time board, a circuit closing device associated with said last mentioned electrical contacts a normally broken elect ic circuit within which are located said electric bells, g nals or alarms, means for causing said circuit closing device to simultaneously engage each of said last mentioned electrical contacts, and to simultaneously close said open circuit to sound or actuate all of said electric bells, signals or alarms simultaneously, substantially as described.

7. An annunciator comprising a signal, a clock having the usual slow and fast running hands. a contact or series of contacts in the path of the slow running hand to make a long continuous contact, a contact in the path of the fast running hand to make short contacts, means for adjusting said last mentioned contact for increasing or diminishing the period of said short contacts, a source of current and a circuit through the said contacts and both the slow and fast. running hands,

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE E. BOONE.

Witnesses t). M. FORM-1ST, Cv HUGH DUFFY, 

